Passaic

About Passaic

Population

70,218 in city22,103,232 in metro

Size

8 km² (3 mi²)

Altitude

31.0899780541 m

Passaic is located on the Passaic River about 9 miles (14 km) north of Newark and 10 miles (16 km) northwest of New York City. Dutch traders first settled here in 1678 with the founding of a fur-trading post. Industrial growth, especially in textile and apparel manufacture, followed the completion of a dam in the 1850s. Passaic was named after the river in 1854 (the name deriving from a Native American word meaning "peaceful valley") and incorporated as a city in 1873. While Passaic's industrial heritage remains apparent, it is also home to many fine residential neighborhoods. A single tower dominates the downtown. A cluster of residential towers can be found along Passaic Avenue to the southwest.